Chief Estimator Construction (General Contracting)

SearchLabs; Woodstock; On-site; CAD 190,000 - 230,000; Full time

Job summary

SearchLabs seeks a Chief Estimator to lead the estimating department for complex commercial, industrial, and institutional projects. You will drive bid strategy, ensure accuracy, and mentor a high-performing team while collaborating with executive leadership.

This senior role oversees all estimating activities—from budgets to procurement strategies—aiming to achieve targeted margins and successful project handoffs to operations.

Qualifications

• 8–12 years of progressive estimating experience in commercial, industrial, or institutional construction.
• Proven success leading complex bids and mentoring estimating teams.
• Strong knowledge of construction methods, contracts, and delivery models (LumpSum, CM, Design-Build).
• Proficiency with estimating software (OST, Bluebeam, Procore, etc.) and Microsoft Office.
• Strong financial, analytical, communication, negotiation, and presentation skills.
• Ability to manage multiple bids under tight deadlines.
• Established subcontractor and supplier relationships considered an asset.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership to Senior Estimators, Estimators, and Junior Estimators.
• Establish and enforce estimating standards, policies, and best practices.
• Mentor and develop staff, ensuring strong succession planning and leadership growth.
• Manage departmental workload across multiple tenders and deadlines.
• Lead go/no-go bid decisions with executive leadership.
• Oversee conceptual budgets, schematic estimates, detailed bids, and procurement strategies.
• Review and approve all final estimates for profitability and risk.
• Ensure estimates achieve targeted gross margins by project type.
• Lead bid risk identification and management reviews.
• Direct major tender closings and ensure compliant submissions.
• Lead project handoff meetings to Operations ensuring transfer of assumptions and pricing strategies.
• Collaborate with Operations and Business Development to align estimating strategy with company objectives.
• Act as a senior preconstruction contact for clients and consultants.
• Provide executive-level input on bid strategy, value engineering, constructability, and delivery models.
• Track market trends, subcontractor pricing, and material costs to maintain competitiveness.
• Build and maintain relationships with clients, developers, consultants, and trade partners.
• Support contract negotiations through cost breakdowns, scope clarifications, and risk analysis.
• Champion estimating technology, digital workflows, and scalable systems.
• Oversee historical cost data, benchmarking tools, and lessons-learned integration.
• Monitor KPIs including bid-win ratios, estimate accuracy, and proposal quality.
• Participate in GC leadership team planning and strategy.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Bid strategy

Financial analysis

Analytical thinking

Communication

Negotiation

Presentation skills

Bid management

Relationships with subs/suppliers

Education

Bachelor's/ Diploma in Construction Management or Civil/Architectural Technology

Tools

OST

Bluebeam

Procore

Microsoft Office

Job description

Our client is a leading General Contractor recognizedfor delivering complex commercial, industrial, and institutional projects. Theyare seeking a Chief Estimator to lead their estimating department, drivebid strategy, and elevate preconstruction excellence across the organization.

This is a senior leadership role responsible for overseeingall estimating activities, ensuring accuracy, competitiveness, andprofitability while mentoring a high‑performing team and collaborating closelywith executive leadership.

What You Will Lead

• Providestrategic leadership to Senior Estimators, Estimators, and JuniorEstimators.
  
• Establishand enforce estimating standards, policies, and best practices.
  
• Mentorand develop staff, ensuring strong succession planning and futureleadership growth.
  
• Managedepartmental workload across multiple tenders and deadlines.
  
• Leadgo/no‑go bid decisions with executive leadership.
  
• Overseeconceptual budgets, schematic estimates, detailed bids, and procurementstrategies.
  
• Reviewand approve all final estimates to ensure alignment with profitability andrisk frameworks.
  
• Ensureestimates achieve targeted gross margins by project type.
  
• Leadbid risk identification and management reviews.
  
• Directmajor tender closings and ensure compliant, accurate, strategicsubmissions.
  
• Leadproject handoff meetings to Operations, ensuring full transfer ofassumptions, risks, and pricing strategies.
  
• Collaboratewith Operations and Business Development to align estimating strategy withcompany objectives.
  
• Actas a senior preconstruction contact for clients and consultants.
  
• Provideexecutive‑level input on bid strategy, value engineering,constructability, and delivery models.
  
• Trackmarket trends, subcontractor pricing, and material costs to maintaincompetitiveness.
  
• Buildand maintain strong relationships with clients, developers, consultants,and trade partners.
  
• Supportcontract negotiations through cost breakdowns, scope clarifications, andrisk analysis.
  
• Championestimating technology, digital workflows, and scalable systems.
  
• Overseehistorical cost data, benchmarking tools, and lessons‑learned integration.
  
• MonitorKPIs including bid‑win ratios, estimate accuracy, and proposal quality.
  
• Participatein GC leadership team planning and strategy.
  

Requirements

What You Bring

• Diplomaor degree in Construction Management, Civil Engineering, ArchitecturalTechnology, or related field.
  
• 8–12years of progressive estimating experience in commercial, industrial, orinstitutional construction.
  
• Provensuccess leading complex bids and mentoring estimating teams.
  
• Strongknowledge of construction methods, contracts, and delivery models (LumpSum, CM, Design‑Build).
  
• Proficiencywith estimating software (OST, Bluebeam, Procore, etc.) and MicrosoftOffice.
  
• Strongfinancial, analytical, communication, negotiation, and presentationskills.
  
• Abilityto manage multiple bids under tight deadlines.
  
• Establishedsubcontractor and supplier relationships considered an asset.
  

Compensation: $190,000 – $230,000 + full package

Disclaimers

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) Artificialintelligence (AI) is not used to screen, assess, or make hiring decisions forthis role. All applications are reviewed and evaluated by our recruitment team.

Vacancy Status This posting represents a currentvacancy.

Additional Notes Compensation discussions andnegotiation guidance will be provided during the hiring process as appropriate.